CLEVELAND, Ohio – March Madness was in full swing inside the Wolstein Center on Tuesday night as the Cleveland State Vikings topped Purdue Fort Wayne 108-104 in triple overtime in a Horizon League Quarterfinal matchup.
Torrey Patton paced all scorers with a 30-point effort, including 12 points across the three overtime periods, while Tre Gomillion chipped in 22 points and Al Eichelberger logged 20 points. Both Patton and Gomillion recorded double-doubles, grabbing 13 rebounds each.
POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
QUICK HITS:
- Tuesday's #REACHtheHORIZON win marks the team's first tournament win since making a run to the 2018 #HLMBB Tournament Final.
- Tuesday's contest also marks the first triple OT game since the 2013-14 season (12/4/13, 85-82 loss to Drexel) and only the fourth triple OT game in program history.
- The Vikings scored 108 points against the Mastodons, which are the most points scored since a 113-point outing against Wilberforce on Dec. 12, 2009. It's also the first time Cleveland State has hit the century mark against a Horizon League opponent since putting up 109 points in an OT win over Milwaukee on Jan. 29, 2000.
- Tuesday's #REACHtheHORIZON game was the first time the Vikes have ever scored 100-or-more points in a Horizon League Tournament contest and only the second time in any conference tournament contest (100-84 win over Illinois-Chicago in 1985-86 Mid-Continent Conference Semifinal).
- The 108 points scored on Tuesday are the most single-game points scored in any conference tournament game in program history.
- Cleveland State improved its 2020-21 record to 4-1 against Purdue Fort Wayne. The five games mark the most times the Vikings have played one team in a single season.
- The Vikings poured in 66 points in the paint, holding a +24 advantage over the Mastodons.
- Cleveland State grabbed 50 rebounds and dished out 21 assists.
- The Vikings also held advantages in second chance points (23-13) and fast break points (21-13).
- Cleveland State had four players score 10-or-more points, including three players with 20-plus.
- Torrey Patton notched his second 30-plus scoring outing, as well as his fifth double-double, in Tuesday's win, finishing with a game-high 30 points on a 13-24 (.542) clip from the field, a game-high tying 13 rebounds, four assists and one steal in a career-high 51 minutes.
- Tre Gomillion recorded his first double-double of the season, grabbing a season-high 13 rebounds (eight offensive), to go along with 22 points on 9-17 (.529) shooting and six assists in a career-high 54.2 minutes.
- Gomillion was one point shy of tying his career-high in points (23-YSU, 12/27/20) and one assist shy of tying his career-high in assists (seven-NKU, 2/20/20).
- Algevon Eichelberger tallied a season-high 20 points on a 7-12 (.583) mark from the field, in addition to six rebounds and five assists in 37.2 minutes as a reserve.
- Eichelberger's 20 points led all bench players.
- Craig Beaudion added 17 points, two rebounds and five assists in 49.2 minutes of play.
THE GAME
Torrey Patton and Craig Beaudion combined for 15 first-half points as the Vikings led for 13:49 of the opening 20 minutes but found themselves trailing at halftime after a last second steal-and-score by Purdue Fort Wayne gave the visitors a 28-27 edge.
Both teams shot 40 percent in a defensive-minded first half that saw the Vikings outrebound Purdue Fort Wayne by a 20-12, including 8-3 advantage on the offensive glass.
After missing their first two looks in the second frame, the Vikes canned each of their next three shots, including a triple by Craig Beaudion to knot the contest at 34-all.
Hodge nailed a go-ahead three at 14:55 to jumpstart a 9-3 run over the next minute for a 47-41 Cleveland State lead, the largest of the night for either side up to that point.
Shortly thereafter, Jalon Pipkins recorded five straight points for the Mastodons before Patton found Gomillion in the post to halt the run and keep the Vikes on top 58-52.
Purdue Fort Wayne clawed back to pull ahead with under four minutes to play when Pipkins' three-point attempt bounced in.
Gomillion answered with a personal 5-0 run, recording a three-point play before Eichelberger fought through a triple team to find a cutting Gomillion for a wide-open layup, restoring Cleveland State's advantage at 65-61 with only 2:46 to play.
The Mastodons again fought back to tie it at 65-65 when Ra Kpedi converted a pair of free throws with 40 seconds left.
Looking for their biggest basket of the night, the Vikings turned to their leading scorer as Patton took a pass in the paint before swishing the clutch bucket for a 67-65 lead with 16 ticks on the clock. Jarred Godfrey kept the Mastodons' season alive with a layup to force overtime.
Cleveland State fell behind by as many as five points in the extra period, but Eichelberger hit a pair of free throws before converting an and-1, drawing the Vikes back within two, 74-72.
Hodge fouled out with two minutes left, prompting Alec Oglesby to check in. The freshman tied the game with a long two-point shot before Pipkins cashed in a pair at the line. Patton responded by driving to the paint for another tying layup to force double overtime.
The Mastodons caught fire in the second extra period, connecting on their first four attempts for an 86-81 lead with 1:58 left.
Cleveland State refused to back down from another late deficit, countering with five straight points from Gomillion and Patton.
Inbounding the ball following another Mastodons triple, the Vikings went to Eichelberger at the top of the key. The senior banked in the long bomb for his first three pointer of the season to send the thrilling contest to a third overtime session.
Cleveland State scored on its next six attempts from the field to make it 99-95 Vikings with 1:27 remaining. Patton took over down the stretch, driving and scoring on three consecutive Cleveland State possessions.
With the Vikings clinging to a one-point edge in the final minute, Purdue Fort Wayne was forced to foul. Beaudion drained the pair for a 103-100 lead with 21 seconds on the clock.
A breakaway layup paired with two more makes from the charity stripe by Eichelberger kept the Vikings on top before a steal from Patton sealed the 108-104 victory.
The Vikings were able to overcome 16 threes from the Mastodons and won the battle of the boards 50-36.
UP NEXT
Cleveland State advances in the #REACHtheHORIZON Tournament to play eighth-seeded Milwaukee, which upset No. 2 Wright State in double overtime, next Monday, March 8 at Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m. on ESPNU. The game can also be heard on 1420-WHK, 102.5 FM and www.whkradio.com, with the pregame show beginning at 6:05 p.m.
